With youth employment levels badly affected by the economic difficulties it’s evident that recently graduating are not escaping the ravages of economic problems. A number of graduates are reducing their expectations and considering less well paid positions then they probably planned when they first started out on their university studies. Work from home alternatives, for example Online jobs are being thought about even if only as a stop gap fix until the economy starts to turn around.

The spin off though is likely to be numbers of graduates getting set up in Work from home businesses. We could find in years to come that the current dearth of work openings has driven many graduates, and others, into a self employed status and this could precipitate a skills deficit later as graduates gain the rewards of operating their own enterprises. It is also a fact that individuals who work from home become accustomed to a no commuting lifestyle and become reluctant to apply for more traditionally based jobs.

There is however no suggestion that graduates are more successful in business than non graduates. Academic prowess does not particularly prepare anyone for the cut and thrust of running an enterprise so the work from home self employment effect could well be tempered by some business failures. Or it could turn out that many who test self employment discover it simply not to their taste and revert to the job market in improved times.

On balance though, it does appear probable that the current economic slowdown is likely to create a new generation of entrepreneurs. And an increase in the incidence of working from home would also be a welcome tendency. As is normally the case it will probably be the young, graduate or otherwise, who provide the lead in this likely working trend.